I had very little Notion of what a Masked Ball was really like, but I concluded the Company being attired as Monarchs, Roman Senators, and Potentates of various Descriptions, would be sufficiently possessed with their imaginary Dignities to display Gestures and Deportment of a corresponding Sort, which would doubtless be very majestical. And these again would be relieved by Light-Comedy Parts, which, well supported, would be humorous and diverting. As, let People assemble as late as they will, some one must still be first, so it was on the present Occasion. A little Man, gaudily attired, entered with a good Deal of Flutter and Importance, who, as soon as he found the Apartments empty, exchanged his Strut for his ordinary Gait, took off his Mask and put it on again several times, perambulated the Saloons, peeped into everything, examined himself again and again before the Mirrours, acted a little in Dumb-Show, sat down before one of them, and finally curled himself up on a Settee and dropped asleep. I wonder how much the Expectation of Pleasure makes up the real Amount of Pleasure apportioned to us in this Life. The Pleasure itself continually disappoints; the Expectation of it has often Something troubled and impatient; so that either Way there's perpetual Alloy. _Prudence_ and I were now mighty anxious for the Company. A Group at length entered, consisting of Maids of Honour and Courtiers of Queen Elizabeth's Time, very much furbelowed and bedizened, who believed themselves the first till they espied the little Man on the Settee, when there were some small Jokes made about _Cymon_ and _Iphigenia_, _Milton_ and the _Italian_ Lady, Sleeping _Beauty_ in the Wood, and so forth. Then the Ladies settled their Ruffs at the Mirrours, and sailed up and down; and one of them walked through Part of a Minuet without Music with a Gentleman she called Sir _Christopher Hatton_, who pointed his Toes extremely well. Then one of them said, "My Mask makes my Face so hot!" "And red too," said the other; "but what will it be by-and-by?" "I wonder if _Harry_ will come," says one; "I'll lay any Wager I shall find him out."--"I'll lay any Wager you won't," says the other. Thought I, is this the Way Maids of Honour used to talk in the Days of good Queen _Bess_? Well, perhaps it may be.